I could not put this book down! It had a beautiful gothic setting, hate to love romance, magic, and characters you can't help but fall in love with. It felt familiar in the fantasy genre but also completely new as well. The beautiful, vivid writing completely transports the reader into the world. It was like time stopped while I was reading because I was so invested in the story. This was a solid debut and I can't wait for the next book!

Absolutely enthralling debut novel! Lakesedge had me hooked from beginning to end.

The book incorporates everything you would want in a YA gothic romance, from dark waters, family curses, lakeside summoning rituals, to a god of death (The Lord Under), and of course (a lot of) romance. I thoroughly enjoyed how the relationships in this book developed, especially with Leta and Rowan.

I can’t wait to read all of the next books in this series. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a high-quality read.

Thank you to the publishers at MacMillan Children’s publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Now I'm addicted to monster boys because of Lyndall Clipstone's LAKESEDGE. Lyndall's prose is lush and magical and true. She created such a real world, capturing the love and connection between siblings, the evil blighting the land, a dark god, and the complex monster boy, Rowan, whom I'm in love with. For a wonderful, too-few hours, Lyndall transported me to her world of darkness and gardens, of kisses and blood, of death and love. If you love Jane Eyre, Persephone, The Secret Garden, read read read LAKESEDGE.

I could not read this book. It would not let me download it to any platform. However, it looks very good and like something I might really enjoy!

Lyrical writing, atmospheric descriptions, a quiet darkness—this book breathed to life all the things I love best about storytelling. A Gothic, heart-told story,

CW- child death, child abuse, death, self harm, drowning, blood, grief, body horror, vomit, adult/minor relationship, suicide attempt
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Lakesedge follows a girl who finds herself intrinsically connected to an old manor estate and the dark god who lives under the lake.
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This book has such a great atmosphere. The lake and the gothic manor setting are just written so well, and you are immediately drawn into this world. The characters weren’t as developed as they could have been, but the setting made up for it.
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On the topic of characters, the main character, Violeta, was missing some personality traits. She only talked about her brother and being self-sacrificing. It would have been nice to learn more about her as a character and as a person.
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I did love the romance though. It had a good progression, and I enjoyed the hate-to-love dynamic.
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However, I did not like the end. It unnecessarily became one of my most despised tropes. I will be picking up the second book to see how this is resolved.
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I would recommend this to fans of Horrid and The Night Cirucs.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. .

I loved this book so much that I will be buying a physical copy when it is finally published. The story was so interesting and lovely. I will be recommending this book to everyone.

I really enjoyed this book, some of the plot got muddled during certain parts but the writing and characters were really fun to read about. I am excited for it to come out!

I don't know where I fall with Lakesedge. I loved Crimson Peak! I love Hades and Persephone retellings! I love tortured boys with long hair! I love all of that! But there was something about Lakesedge that did not let me fully fall in love, and I'm still not sure what it is.

Violeta goes with her brother, Arien, to the estate called Lakesedge because the lord, Rowan, needs Arien's shadow magic to stop the Corruption that has turned its lake black and is blighting the lands. We get immediately plunged into some rudimentary explanation of the religious/magical system--there is The Lady (from which all life springs, I suppose) and the Lord Under (fairly obvious, I guess). Some people have magic, others don't. Some people cut deals with the Lord Under to avoid death for a little while, and Violeta and Rowan are two such people. I'm not entirely sure what or how those deals work, or why they went so poorly for Rowan, or why the Lord Under couldn't simply snap his fingers and fix everything because he is, obviously, a GOD...and I think that is where my middling attitude about this book comes into play. Once you take out the pretty writing, this is a book about people arguing with each other about secrets and why they can or can't do something, which made it feel a little stuck in the mud the characters are always wading around in. The romance felt a little too swift and the magic felt a little too sketchy. But man, that pretty writing. Sigh.

I wanted to love this! Be swept away into gothic horror! And it was very pretty and there was some gothic horror! But then it sets up for a sequel and I'm not sure it really needs one. The story felt fairly compact and stronger as a stand-alone. I probably won't pick up the second book, but I'm fully aware my opinion will be the minority.

This is atmospheric and captivating. Compelling writing that immediately enchants. Everything I hoped for and more. An amazing debut. Exquisite in every way! I can't wait to read the next in the series!

This book is twisty and turney. There were twists I didn't see coming. A fun take on the whole beauty and the beast plot with some added plot lines.

I was not expecting to be drawn into this book as quickly as I was! Who knew that a gothic fantasy retelling of the Hades/Persephone myth was just what I needed to read? The cover art is very Crimson Peak and while that might appeal to many, it was a hurdle for me. But this book was peak swoon. I did not know that it was the first in a series so the abrupt end did throw me off a bit.

I truly enjoyed this debut offering by Lyndall Clipstone. It's gothic, atmospheric-- perfect read for a gloomy, rainy day. Characters are well done, and I liked this Hades-Persephone retelling with a twist. Clipstone has hit this out of the park, and I am already looking forward to the next book in this series!

This book. THIS BOOK. If you love Crimson Peak, then you'll love this book. The setting is ominous and creepy. The main characters are incredibly flushed out. I loved the gothic vibes and the slow-burn romance. I highly recommend this book if you love monsterous boys, dark magic, and death gods.

I love the mystery surrounding the characters in this book and the Lord Under himself as he weaves himself into the narrative. I think students will enjoy the darkness of this book and trying to solve the mystery of Lakesedge as they read.

This was a lush and romantic gothic fantasy., full of so many things I love. To quote a line from the book, "A blackened lake, a poisoned magic, a wound, a curse...a girl who can speak to a god."

The prose is simply exquisite. To quote again, 'Now I am only little gasps, liquid fire. Melted candles. Sap dripped from a pale-trunked tree. I'm thorn and lichen, lace over stone.'
I would read this book for the prose and astmosphere alone! Gorgeous! Clipstone has weaved a beautiful tale about monsters and magic and darkness, and the lengths one girl would go to to save those she loves.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

Many, many thanks to Fierce Reads for sending me a digital ARC of Lakesedge as part of their Yallwest F21 Preview Sweepstakes!

Simply put, reading Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone was like living in a dream (one I’m not ready to wake up from). This book is absolutely perfect for fans of Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones and Uprooted by Naomi Novik!

Through her gorgeous writing, Clipstone truly transported me into this gothic tale and made Lakesedge come alive. I cannot wait to see what’s in store with the upcoming sequel, Forestfall!

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Violeta and her brother are orphans after her parents die. They are taken in by a woman who does not treat them kindly. When the family goes to pay their tithes, Violeta meets Rowan, the monster of Lakesedge, who killed his whole family. When Rowan realizes that Arien has dark magic, he requests that he come to Lakesedge with him. He promises to help him learn to control the shadows and learn alchemy in exchange for his help mending the Corruption, dark magic that is killing the land and poisoning him. Violeta refuses to let him go alone and thus tags along with them.

Once at Lakesedge, it isn't long before Arien attempts to mend the Corruption. It doesn't end well. Rowan is forced to pay a tithe to the Corruption in exchange for it to disappear for awhile. A few nights later, when Rowan leaves to go pay another tithe, Violeta follows him and ends up saving him from being consumed by the darkness. From then on, Violeta begins to question the truth behind everything she has ever known about Rowan. She realizes that Rowan may not be the monster that everyone claims and has her feelings for him develop, she will do whatever it takes to protect the ones she loves.

We also learn that Violeta has a connection to the Lord Under, after she made a bargain with him when she was young to save her brother. This connection causes her to reach out to the Lord Under again and seek a bargain that would help her save the world Above.

Overall, I really enjoyed the gothic feel of this book. It has a similar feel to Down Comes the Night, although it maintains its own premise. It was very dark, but there were also glimpses of hope. The ending definitely has me curious for what the next book will bring. I wouldn't quite say it ends on a cliffhanger, but it does leave the reader with questions about what will happen next. On a side note, I'm hoping the author isn't planning to introduce a love triangle.

The story and action starts right from page one. It’s a little hard to follow as the world building is slightly lacking, and the characters are not very well developed. Some may love it for it’s dark mysterious feel, but it just didn’t hold my attention,

"You've certainly made a difference in the amount of peculiar teas I'm forced to drink." ~ "Lakesedge"

I literally can't say enough positive things about this novel. I am dying for more people to read it so I can discuss it! Not only is the female protagonist Violetta unfailingly loyal to her brother, but she's written in such a way that all oldest daughters can relate to. That sense of stress and overwhelming responsibility is conveyed throughout the story so well. I went in expecting gothic romance/horror (for which there is plenty!) but I never expected to relate to the main character so much. Violetta is empathetic, almost to a fault, and her personal journey in learning how to open up to others is so important to me.

I love that this book leaves you in suspense even after it's done. I'm wondering where Violetta's story will go from here. Will there be a love triangle? If so, then this book has introduced a new trope I've never seen before: the main female character trying to choose between two bad/morally grey male characters. Also, I'm wondering if Violetta is aromantic/asexual or both, or if Clover is? There's this one scene where Clover says: "You know, it's all right if you're not interested in him like that. Not everyone wants a romance...I don't know what I want...There's never been anyone who you liked before?" Most likely, either character is asexual (considering how rare it is to have just one asexual character in a book) but it almost sounds like both these characters are! I would love to see this explored more in the next book in the series.

This is the perfect book for fans of classic gothic romance/horror, especially "Udolpho" and "Northanger Abbey" with its own spunky heroines. If you liked "Mexican Gothic," this book is very similar, but more age-appropriate for teens and young adults. The romance and violence in this story are more heavily implied than some of the gruesome scenes in adult horror novels. Every aspect of this book is given in the perfect amount: just enough romance, just enough suspense, just enough character development, just enough friendships, just enough magic, just enough plot twists. That ending...I never saw it coming! I'm so siked that book two has already been announced.